Apparatus for changing winding-up bobbins on drawing frames and preparatory spinning machines



May 19, 1970 J. KAISER. 3,512,726

APPARATUS 'FOR CHANGING WINDING-UP BOBBINS 0N DRAWING FRAMES AND PREPARATORY SPINNING MACHINES Filed Jan. 29, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 19, 1970 J. KAISER 3,512,726

' APPARATUS FOR cHANGINGwINDING-UP BOBBINS 0N DRAWING FRAMESAND PREPARATORY SPINNING MACHINES Filed Jan. 29. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N vE/vwR ,JB 7021/: f 0/ Lee/- Patented May 19, 1970 3,512,726 APPARATUS FOR CHANGING WINDING-UP BOB- BINS N DRAWING FRAMES AND PREPARA- TORY SPINNING MACHINES Johann Kaiser, Waldshut, Germany, assignor to Chr. Mann Maschinenfabrik, Waldshut, Germany Filed Jan. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 701,304 Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 1, 1967, M 72,611 Int. Cl. D0lg 27/04; B6511 75/00 US. Cl. 24254.4 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for changing winding-up bobbins on drawing frames and preparatory spininng machines, which includes a creel having two arms pivotally supported and carrying clamping means operable to receive an empty bobbin sleeve and to release a full bobbin sleeve, and feeding lever means for feeding an empty bobbin sleeve at a time between the clamping means after release of a full bobbin sleeve from between said clamping means, automatically operable means being provided for operating said clamping means and said feeding arm means.

The present invention relates to an apparatus on drawing frames and preparatory spinning machines for changing the winding-up bobbin which is freely rotatably held in a creel between the ends of two tiltable arms by axial clamping means of supporting rollers. Such windingup bobbin rests for purposes of its drive on the mantle surface of a friction roller and is adapted to be tilted away therefrom.

With heretofore known drawing frames and preparatory spinning machines, the exchange of the full winding-up bobbin for an empty bobbin sleeve is effected by hand. To this end, the full winding-up bobbin is grasped and pressed axially against one of the supporting rollers at the ends of the tiltable arms of the frame whereby the axially resiliently supported supporting roller is axially displaced so that the winding-up bobbin is released and can be deposited. The insertion of the new bobbin sleeve is effected in a corresponding manner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for use in connection with drawing frames and preparatory spinning machines, which will permit an automatic exchange of the winding-up bobbin.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus as set forth in the preceding paragraph, which will also permit an automatic placing of the thread onto the empty bobbin sleeve.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 diagrammatically and partly in section and partly in view illustrates a creel with bobbin sleeves there- FIG. 2. diagrammatically illustrates the tiltable arm associated with the creel and carrying reserve bobbin sleeves, FIG. 2 also showing its association with the friction roller and the movements thereof during the exchange of the winding-up bobbin.

FIG. 3 illustrates on a somewhat larger scale the free ends of the tiltable arms of the creel moved away from each other for inserting a reserve bobbin sleeve by means of the tiltable arm and also shows different positions of the transverse thread guide.

FIG. 4 diagrammatically illustrates the transverse thread guide while placing the thread onto the empty bobbin sleeve in the driving position of the latter.

FIG. 5 illustrates an electro-hydraulic control diagram for controlling the various operations inherent to a bobbin exchange.

The apparatus according to the invention is characterized primarily by a pivotable member which extends between the tiltable arms of the drawing frame and which is pivotable about an axis extending parallel to the pivot axis of the creel. The free end of said pivotable member serves for receiving reserve bobbin sleeves of which reserves sleeves, following the tilting away of the wind ing-up bobbin from the driving friction roller, the detachment of the clamping means for the winding-up bobbin in the creel and the return movement of the creel into its operative position, one reserve bobbin sleeve is displaceable by pivoting the pivotable member between the supporting rollers of the tiltable arms and in this position is taken over by the supporting rollers.

The apparatus according to the invention permits the following operations. When the Winding-up bobbin has its mantle surface in engagement with the friction roller so as to be driven thereby, and when it has reached its desired diameter so that an exchange of the full bobbin for an empty bobbin sleeve will be necessary, the winding-up bobbin is by tilting the creel lifted off the friction roller and detached from the creel. If desired, it may then drop onto a conveyor for removal. Subsequently, the creel is tilted back into its operative position. When the creel has reached this position, the pivotable member which is pivotable about an axis parallel to the tilting axis of the creel is tilted between the tiltable arms of the creel and, more specifically, to such an extent that a reserve bobbin sleeve will be located between the supporting rollers of the tiltable arms of the creel. The supporting rollers will then engage the reserve bobbin sleeve which after the thread has been placed thereon will be rotated by the friction roller. At the same time, the pivotable member which carries the reserve bobbin sleeves returns to its starting position. These tilting movements can all be controlled automatically. To this end, corresponding driving elements are operatively connected to the creel for tilting the same and also to the pivotable member. The control of these driving elements may be effected electrically, pneumatically or purely mechanically, for instance, by control cams and adjusting motors, or by electric or pneumatic contacts.

According to the present invention, at least one of the tiltable arms of the creel may be movable away from the other tiltable arm in axial direction with regard to the bobbin axis. This possibility of movement of the tiltable arm in axial direction will permit without outer action to free the full winding-up bobbin after the creel has been tilted away from the friction roller. To this end, one tiltable arm is moved away from the winding-up bobbin so that the latter disengages the supporting rollers. When the creel with tilted away tilting arm returns to its operative position in which the reserve bobbin sleeve passes between the tilted arms, the tiltable arms may move to the reserve bobbin sleeve so that the latter is engaged by the sup porting rollers of the tiltable arm and is clamped fast. The tilting away and back of at least one of the tilting arms of the creel can be made possible according to the present invention by interposing in the area of the tilting axis of the creel between the tilting arms a pneumatically or hydraulically operable cylinder piston system for axially tilting one tilting arm. According to a further development of the invention; the cylinder piston unit may in the tilting away direction act against a spring force so that the return movement will automatically be effected by the spring force. According to a still further development of the invention, the pivoting of the pivotable member may be effected by a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder piston unit. This is particularly advantageous when also the creel for purposes of effecting its tilting movements is equipped with a hydraulic or pneumatic device so that the same driving means may be employed for the successively effected tilting movements.

As mentioned above, the invention also makes it pos sible to place the thread automatically onto the windingup bobbin. For this purpose, the end of the thread to be wound up is following the movement of the reserve bobbin sleeve to its operative position insertable between the collar of on of the supporting rollers and the associated end face of the reserve bobbin sleeve prior to clamping in the reserve bobbin sleeve. This insertion of the thread and may be effected by making the winding-up stroke of the transverse thread guide extensible at least unilaterally beyond the bobbin end. This brings about that the insertion of the thread between the collar of one supporting roller and the associated end face of the winding-up bobbin is carried out directly by the transverse thread guide which carries out reciprocatory movements in longitudinal direction in front of the driving friction roller.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the creel 1 comprises two tiltable arms 2 and 3 of which the arm 2 is fixedly connected to the bearing sleeve 4 whereas the tiltable arm 3 is axially displaceably held thereon. The bearing sleeve 4 is axially fixed to the turnable shaft 5. Within the area of the bearing sleeve 4 between the tiltable arms 2 and 3 there is provided a cylinder piston unit which comprises a cylinder 6 connected to the arm 2 and a piston 8 with piston rod 9, said piston rod 9 being linked to the tiltable arm 3 at 7. The piston rod 9 is adapted to be displaced toward the right with regardto FIG. 1 against the thrust of a spring 10. This rightward movement of the piston 8 with piston rod 9 is effected by the admission of pressure fluid into the cylinder 6 through a bore 11.

As will be evident from FIG. 3, the free ends of the tiltable arms 2 and 3 rotatably support supporting rollers 13 provided with a collar 12. As will be obvious from FIGS. 1 and 3, bobbin sleeves 14 are adapted to be placed upon the supporting rollers 13. The bobbin sleeve 14 in FIG. 3 represents a reserve bobbin sleeve which by means of the pivotable member 15 has, in conformity with FIG. 2, trough-shaped depressions for receiving the reserve bobbin sleeves 14.

As will be seen from FIG. 2, the bearing sleeve 4 has connected thereto a tiltable lever 17 which is pivotally connected at 17a to the piston rod 18 of the cylinder piston unit 19. When the piston (not shown) of the cylinder piston unit 19 moves the piston rod 18 outwardly, the tiltable lever 17 and thereby the creel 1 are tilted in the direction of the arrow 20 whereby the creel 1 which, between the arms 2 and 3 has clamped the full winding-up bobbin 21, is tilted into the dot-dash line position. It will be appreciated that the thread 6 is wound upon the winding-up bobbin 21 by the engagement of the latter with the driving friction roller 22. During the last mentioned tilting movement, the thread leaving the thread guide 27 will, as a rule, tear off so that the thread end 30 will hang freely downwardly. In this position, the piston cylinder unit 6, 8, 9 according to FIG. 1 becomes effective which by displacement of the piston 8- toward the right will axially move away the arm 3 and thereby will open up the creel 1 so that the-winding-up bobbin 21 is freed from the creel 1 and drops downwardly. It may then be carried away by a conveyor or the like.

After the winding-up bobbin 21 has been released from the creel 1, the latter turns back to the full line position of operation in a direction opposite to the arrow 20.

The pivotable member 15 will then, in conformity with FIG. 2, pivot about the pivot 23 in upward direction. This is effected by means of the cylinder piston unit 26 the piston rod 25 of which acts upon the lever arm 24. In view 4 of the pivotal movement of the arm 15, one of the reserve bobbins 14 which is on the free end 16 of the pivotable member 15 moves between the supporting rollers 13 of the tilting arms 2 and 3 of the creel 1 as shown in FIG. 3. In this position the thread guide 27, which may be designed as disclosed in German Pat. No. 1,059,321, will be brought into the dash line position indicated with the reference numeral 28 (see FIG. 3). This means that the stroke H is in one direction increased by the distance Z.

In the position 28, the end 30 of the thread will be located between the collar 12 of the supporting roller 13 and the end face 29 of the bobbin sleeve 14 and will be clamped therebetween at the instant at which the cylinder piston unit 6, 8, 9 according to FIG. 1 moves the two arms 2 and 3 together. The fact that the thread end 30 will be carried along can be improved by providing the collar 12 or the supporting roller 13 itself entirely or partially with a burdock-like coating. When the bobbin sleeve 14 engages the driving friction roller 22, the bobbin sleeve 14 will rotate and the winding-up operation will start. As soon as this winding-up operation begins, the traversing thread guide 27 returns and then moves back and forth with the stroke H. When the winding-up bobbin 21 has reached the desired diameter, the creel 1 will be lowered while releasing the Winding-up bobbin 21 and this will be followed by the above described exchange operations.

The above mentioned operations, in their proper sequence, may be carried out automatically in various ways apparent to anyone skilled in the art. Solely by way of example, a simple control circuit as illustrated in FIG. 5 may be used for this purpose. FIG. 5 merely diagrammatically shows the cylinder piston units of FIGS. 1 and 2, namely the units 6, 8; 18, 19; and 25, 26 which are operatively connected to three electromagnetic valves E1, E2 and E3. The circuit, furthermore, comprises a pump P connected to a fluid reservoir F and adapted to supply pressure fiuid to said cylinder piston units 6, 8; 18, 19; and 25, 26.

A further important element in the circuit consists of a time relay T with three contact segments C1, C2, C3 adapted to be swept in succession by a sliding contact S. The circuit also includes a pressure relief valve R and a master switch M.

The operation of the circuit is as follows: It may be assumed that a bobbin is full and is to be exchanged for an empty bobbin sleeve, and it may furthermore be assumed that the normally open switch M is closed. This closure may be effected automatically, for instance, by the weight of the full bobbin directly or through a relay. When the switch M is closed, the circuit for the pump is closed and the time relay causes the sliding contact to turn in the direction of the arrow 28 while the pump draws fluid from the reservoir F. When the sliding contact S sweeps over the first contact segment C1, the electromagnetic valve E1 which was closed up to that time is opened while the return flow is closed. As a result thereof, the cylinder piston system 18, 19 pivots the arm 2, 3 in the direction of the arrow 20 of FIG. 2. When the sliding contact S also sweeps over the contact segment C2, the electromagnetic valve E2 pertaining to said cylinder piston unit 6, 8 is actuated so that the arm 3 is spaced relative to the arm 2 and the bobbin sleeve is freed from the arms 2, 3 or the holding means 13. Shortly thereafter, the sliding contact S completely leaves the segment C1 so that the circuit for the first valve E1 is interrupted with the result that the latter closes and the return flow is opened. In view of the tension stored in the spring 8' in the cylinder piston unit 18, 19, the piston 18 is returned into its cylinder. The operations for the cylinders 6, 8 and 25, 26 are effected in a corresponding manner.

When the sliding contact has reached the end of the third contact segment C3, the exchange operation of the winding-up bobbins is finished and the sliding contact again returns to its starting position shown in the drawing. It is, of course, understood that the switch M remains closed during the entire control Operation or the circuit remains closed by a holding circuit which will be broken after the sliding contact S has completed its cycle.

Instead of moving the tiltable arm 3 by means of the cylinder piston unit 6, 8, 9 and carrying out the tilting movements of the creel 1 by means of the cylinder piston unit 19, these movements may also be eifected mechanically, for instance, by means of control cams or adjusting motors.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular embodiment shown in the drawings but also comprises any modifications Within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In combination for a self-installing sleeve apparatus involving loose and unturned preliminary yarn: driving friction roller means; creel means comprising first shaft means, two creel arms spaced from each other in the axial direction of said first shaft means and pivotally supported by said first shaft means, and clamping means supported by the free ends of said creel arms; said clamping means being operable to respectively receive and clamp an empty bobbin sleeve between said clamping means and to release a full bobbin sleeve from between said clamping means; said creel arms also being pivotable about the axis of said first shaft means into a first position for engage-ment of a'bobbin sleeve carried by said creel arms with said friction roller means and into a second position for disengagement of a loaded bobbin sleeve on said creel means with said friction roller means; second shaft means substantially parallel to said first shaft means; feeding arm means pivotally supported by said second shaft means and adapted to receive at least one reserve bobbin sleeve and to pivot about the axis of said second shaft means from a first position in which it receives a reserve bobbin sleeve to a second position in which said reserve bobbin sleeve is located between said clamping means; a transverse motion guide movable selectively to one operating position in which an extension of the axis thereof passes between said clamping means on one of said creel arms and a respective adjacent end face of said reserve bobbin sleeve supported by said feeding arm means in second position thereof; first control means operatively connected to said clamping means and operable in said second position of said feeding arm means to cause said clamping means to receive a reserve bobbin sleeve from said feeding arm means and to clamp it between said clamping means, said first control means also being operable to cause said clamping means to release a full bobbin sleeve from between said clamping means; and second control means operatively connected to said feeding arm means for moving the same from said first position to said second position and vice versa.

2. A combination according to claim 1, in which at least one of said two creel arms of said creel means is movable respectively toward and away from each other axially thereof.

3. A combination according to claim 2, in which said first control means includes a fluid operable cylinder piston unit connected between said two creel arms for relative movement therebetween.

4. A combination according to claim 3, which includes yieldable spring means operatively connected to said cylinder piston unit biased in retracting direction and continuously urging the latter into position for causing said two creel arms to move toward each other.

5. A combination according to claim 1, in which said second control means includes a fluid operable cylinder piston unit to effect pivotal movement of said feeding arm means.

6. A combination according to claim 1, which said transverse motion guide includes transverse thread guiding means movable selectively to a thread applying position in which the extension of its axis passes between the clamping means on one of said creel arms and the respective adjacent end face of a reserve bobbin sleeve supported by said feeding arm means in the second position of said feeding arm means, whereby the end of a thread hanging out of said thread guiding means between said clamping means and the adjacent end face of a reserve bobbin slee've between said clamping means will be clamped onto said reserve bobbin sleeve in response to the movement of said clamping means into clamping position.

7. A combination according to claim 6, in which said thread applying transverse guide position is located over and beyond the normal transverse stroke of said thread guiding means so as to bring the end of the thread hanging out therefrom into a position in which the end hecomes clamped between said clamping means and the adjacent end face of said reserve bobbin sleeve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,212,776 8/1940 Hamel 242-41 2,682,998 7/1954 Strassler 242-54.4 XR 3,030,075 4/1962 Kocalis 242-129.51 XR 3,062,465 11/1962 Hunter 24256 3,092,340 6/1963 Furst 242--35.5 3,184,174 5/1965 Furst 24235.5 3239,155 3/1966 Kinoshita 24256 XR 3,265,315 8/1966 Mueller 242--18 3,429,514 2/1969 Pospisil et a1. 24218 STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner W. H. SCHROEDER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 242-4l, 129.51 

